Colorado-Medical-Marijuana-Blog

While the list of medical conditions grows under the Colorado medical marijuana umbrella, some conditions are still being turned down as legitimate and protesters are renewing their efforts to add them to the legal list. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, has become a matter of heated debate recently in the Colorado arena. Many advocates for medical marijuana in Colorado have planned protests outside the Colorado state board of health lately in an attempt to get the disorder recognized by the state, claiming that many veterans afflicted with PTSD can be treated with the use of medical marijuana. The state of New Mexico already includes the disorder in their list of qualifying conditions and the state of Arizona held a hearing recently to discuss including the disorder to their list. Advocates for medical marijuana in Colorado feel the state of Colorado is falling behind and are urging officials to make a decision. PTSD was considered by the state two years ago and was turned down at that time. Officials have made no comment as to whether it is being considered now.

Although Colorado state law dictates that patients in nursing homes are allowed to use medical marijuana for eight specific conditions, many nursing homes are hesitant to take the risk of allowing and/or administering it to their patients since the substance is still considered illegal under federal law. Many long-term care facilities in the state would prefer to play it safe and follow federal law rather than taking any chances. Some facilities such as North Star Rehabilitation & Care Community are taking a zero tolerance stance when it comes to medical marijuana and state their policy clearly during the admission process. As the facility views it, the nurses would be responsible for administering the marijuana and that would place them in a liability situation that the facilities would rather avoid. There are other facilities, however, who take a more lenient stance on the subject. Sunrise at Cherry Creek views medical marijuana much as any other medication, but states clearly that the medical marijuana must be ingested either in pill form or baked into food. Walking the fine line between state and federal laws has put some nursing homes in a tough spot and many are simply choosing to err on the side of caution and ban the substance from their facility altogether.

While the list of approved medical conditions for the usage of medical marijuana is already quite large in its own right, many medical patients have been seeking to add new conditions to the list. The Colorado Department of Health has received many petitions to add the following debilitating medical conditions to is approved list of conditions for which medical marijuana can be recommended by a physician: asthma, atherosclerosis, Bipolar disorder, Crohn’s disease, diabetes mellitus; types 1 and 2, diabetic retinopathy, Hepatitis C, hypertension, methicillan-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), opiod dependence, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), rheumatoid arthritis, severe anxiety & clinical depression and Tourette’s syndrome. As of yet, the Colorado Department of Public Health has not approved any of these conditions for the use of medical marijuana.

Applicants who are trying to obtain Colorado medical marijuana cards may have recently had their applications returned to them due to simple, avoidable mistakes made when filling out the required forms. According to the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry, they are returning large amounts of application packets and change request forms due to easily avoidable mistakes. Applicants can prevent the problem by following a checklist of basic items to remember.

First and foremost, always be sure to include a legible photocopy of either your Colorado driver’s license or ID or your caregiver’s driver’s license or ID.

Always use the most current version of the application or change form.

The Medical Marijuana Registry requires that all change of address or caregiver forms be filled out in BLUE ink.

If you are moving, all change of address or caregiver forms must be sent within ten days of the event.

All checks or money orders must be made out for the proper amount of $90 and must be signed. Checks or money orders may only be for one patient.

All patient signatures must be notarized and caregivers are not allowed to be the notary.

All forms that are being sent to the registry must be submitted by the patient. Caregivers and dispensaries are not allowed to submit forms.

When filing your packet, make sure it includes the application form, physician’s certification, copy of the patient or caregiver’s ID and the check or money order for $90. Be sure that all items are sent at the same time and in the same packet. The registry will not be able to process any applications that are not complete and they will be rejected and returned to the patient.

Following these simple guidelines should help patients to obtain their Colorado medical marijuana cards quickly and easily, and avoid any delays.

Colorado medical marijuana users may have another reason for using the drug. According to clinical trials by MS patients who used medical marijuana, medical marijuana was shown to reduce or alleviateMS symptoms including anxiety, pain, ataxia, spasms and depression, and may even slow neurodegeneration associated with MS. In a survey of 112 medical marijuana patients with MS, over 80% reported an improvement in symptoms including anxiety, depression, pain, tremors and spasticity. The Long School of Medicine found in a 2008 study that medical marijuana may also slow neurodegenerative disease progression of MS. As with all diseases, patients may experience different levels of symptoms varying form mild to moderate to severe. Most patients with symptoms who used medical marijuana as part of their treatment plan have experienced some form of relief from use of the drug.